TeX example

Understand how this works:
\vbox{
\def\1{\vrule height 0pt depth 2pt}
\def\2{\vrule height 0pt depth 4pt}
\def\3{\vrule height 0pt depth 6pt}
\def\4{\vrule height 0pt depth 8pt}
\def\ruler#1#2#3{\leftline{$\vcenter{\hrule\hbox{\4#1}}\,\,\rm#2\,{#3}$}}
\def\\#1{\hbox to .125in{\hfil#1}}
\def\8{\\\1\\\2\\\1\\\3\\\1\\\2\\\1\\\4}
\ruler{\8\8\8\8}4{in}}
\end